15-Nov-2002 The magical world of Harry Potter is beautifully realised as Electronic Arts shows us exactly how to get the most out of a licence
As Dobby foretells in The Chamber of Secrets, if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts he will be in grave danger. But just as young Harry was ineluctably drawn back to the great establishment, so gamers will find themselves heading back to this excellent title time and time again.
Last year's Potter games were generally impressive, but it's the next-gen version die-hard Potter fans have been waiting for. And the wait has, mercifully, been well worth it.
The first thing that strikes you about Harry Potter: The Chamber of Secrets is how wonderfully Rowling's fantastical fiction has been recreated. The attention to detail is overwhelming and almost every aspect of the Potter world has been crafted with great care and attention. Diagon Alley, for example, is wonderful, with all the shops from the book expertly modelled, both inside and out, and streets packed with wizards and witches you can stop and chat to.
But the real piece de resistance is Hogwarts itself. The building is massive and literally crammed with rooms, corridors and secret passages to explore - it's perfectly easy to lose yourself for hours just wandering around on an extended sight-seeing tour.
And fortunately, the game's structure lends itself very well to exploration. The Chamber of Secrets is split up into days, each filled with numerous tasks, and at the end of each day you're give the option to either go to bed, or spend a while exploring.
We've established that the game looks and feel like you'd always imagined Harry Potter would, but how does the game play? Very well, as it happens. It's won't win any awards for innovation, but what's there is solid, enjoyable, challenging and, above all else, fun.
Control of Harry is straightforward and uncomplicated. The analogue stick guides him around the world and button icons in the top right of the screen indicate which moves and abilities are available, with items and spells assignable to individual buttons.
For combat, a lock on system is utilised, which works well generally, and allows Harry to strafe from side-to-side while casting spells. And spells can be charged to different strengths depending on how long the relevant button is depressed.
The game guides you through the various key events found in the narrative, and the experience is one of exploration, broken up by numerous mini-games and sub-quests. Gnome-flinging, for example is an early distraction, and gamers will be pleased to hear that the experience of Quidditch has been excellently captured, offering intense, fast-paced action that avoids unnecessary confusion thanks to an intelligent ring system.
The Chamber of Secrets on PS2 certainly isn't without its flaws. The lock-on targeting system can be a little dodgy from time to time, for instance. Furthermore, visually it lacks the shimmering polish of the other next-gen versions, and the framerate isn't quite as smooth either.
Also, due to the size and detail of the environments, loading times can become a real drag - especially if you move in-and-out of the Great Staircase area. The game can also feel a little disjointed at times, as you're passed from one mini-task to another, but the sheer fun and variety, coupled with the polish more than makes up for this.
These gripes aside, The Chamber of Secrets is a fantastic achievement and the developer must be applauded for making such great use of the licence. The game doesn't do anything new, and if you're not a Potter fan, then the game probably won't hold the same level of appeal. But for fans of the series, it's a veritable encyclopaedia of Potter, with every aspect of the fiction recreated to a high standard. Highly recommended.
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